John alfred cooper



J. A. COOPER.

1 3 1 '7, 55 6 Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inward??? Jbim (A 1520,2967.

#Zfdmage J. A. COOPER.

APPARATUS FOR TRAINING IN GUN AIMING AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, I919.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 THE cowmsm Pmuoamvu' 25.. WASHINGTO" m c.

FFCE.

JOHN ALFRED COOPER, OF NOTTINGHAM, ENG-LAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. so, 1919.

Application filed July 16, 1919. Serial No.311.392.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ALFRED COOPER, a subject of the King of England, residing at Nottingham, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Appa ratus. for Training in Gun-Aiming and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for training gunners and operators in gun aiming and the like, that is to say in aiming guns, directing Searchlight-beams and similar directive operations on moving objects.

It is found desirable, especially for men engaged in laying guns upon aircraft, to give them practice in the use of the ring, or other sight on moving model targets, in order to enable them to follow an actual target, with the sight they have practised with, more readily and accurately than they otherwise would.

A primary object of this invention is to provide apparatus for use in practising aiming in which one or more model targets are mounted upon a rotatable carrier whose plane of rotation may be varied at will during its rotation.

Another object is to provide that one or more of the targets can be tilted about their pivotal axis during their rotation.

A further object is to provide that such tilting of the targets shall be caused automatically.

A still further object is to provide that the degree of tilt given to the targets shall vary more or less between some predetermined limits of angular movement of the carrier relatively to its support than between others.

An additional object is to provide that the one or more targets can be moved radially on the carrier during its rotation.

A further object is toprovide that such radial movement shall be automatic.

A still further object is to provide apparatus for use in practising aiming in which the movements'of an aeroplane flying in the air are more or less accurately simulated.

To these ends, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

Oneembodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one form of V apparatus according to the invention 5 Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but from the rear showing the moving parts of the apparatus in various positions, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a detail of construction on a larger scale than that of Figs. l3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged side and end elevations, respectively, of another detail of construction.

Like reference letters designate like parts throughout the several views.

Referringto the drawing, the apparatus comprisesa carrier A rotatably mounted on a bracket or head B, which latter is carried upon an upright support C and is oscillatable thereupon about an axis C The head or bracket B is constructed in the form of a forked member whose limbs B embrace the upright C and are engaged therewith by pivot-pins C. In order to give to the head the required inclination i about the said spindle, a bevel-wl1eel D is secured, co-- axially with the pivots G upon one forklimb B and is operated by means of a bevel-wheel D which receives rotation from a hand-operated worm and worm-wheel de' vice E at the lower end of-the upright C and connected with the bevel-wheel D through a spindle D Upon the other vfork-limb'is mounted a bevel-wheel F, coaxial with, but free upon,

the pivots C and engaging with two bevelwheels F F ,-one above it and one below it, whose axes of rotation are at right-angles to that of the said pivots. The lower wheel F of -these two is driven by hand-operated worm-wheel gear E and the upper F transmits its rotation through a short shaft F toa' spur-wheel F engaging with a spurwheel G. The shaft F carrying the b'evel-' wheel F and spur-wheel F runs in bearings F secured to the head. By this means as the head is made to oscillate about 'itspivots G the shaft F is maintained in tubular shaft A A (see also Fig. 4). ro-

tatably mounted co-axially on the bracket or head B. A guide-tube B formed on the head B extends into the annular space between the tubular portions A, A to guide and support them. The spur-wheel G is formed on the lower end of the tubular stem A of the carrier. Supported at rightangles to the length of the stem of the carrier are two outwardly extending arms J J At their extremities these ii iris each Support, upon pi t K? mqdelaerv ae K, and to an a'r'in"K 'upon'each'aeroplane is securedone end of a flexible tie L which 7 5 extends tdthstutefsndof the tubular' sha r't A A and passes down it to aplunger M engaged With the inner portion ofthe "shaft y -a s ing .fe ther M so. sw. be o etata ejin r ti theret ab t sli bl 1 raxi l ytalongr he1p se siii t h r ed l' ughz-. ';swive ri int.Mf t es P911101 As, therefore, the head'li is sy'viveled about its 'pivots C the, plungerM is caused o sli t liihe ubu ar $05111 Afr-$ 2 1 .;.ca1:rie.r A a idathfqug i s t etiesh 5111331116 aeroplanes K about their pivots like a li desired, ent roii ien telescpiwlly m n d iu-filmin nner \PQF' ti ns, a$: .$h Wl atthe, lef -l a a r lev iflflijgvIn. th s c n tf mtie sthe l s 'r elesqopic nienj ber i pr s JQllt AlT H Q-F. a spring {Q nd: arries its in er, f ed is fin er J A cam-ring Pifast on theh'eadB lias'iits operti a fii r i un illg th me o he par 2 m ,.andr xjbraszks 1t J eun tpn th m J car aq qk 3.7-. Th 'fm e i J hears against on end of thisroclgenfthe other end oi ,ivhich bears against and is H T d bY t m' 3'0; 7 Zuse, the pearrle r is maintained 1n rotal v yltheh dp ra edfge rsE wpath; @peration fof; the; gear 1 E causes the head B tolbe swung about its pivots 0 and easotihsithe p ane of their path. .At the same time the tilting of the head causes r pla o. i change t r ap ar n ba11king,,- and .so 1 more j or less. to simulate the action of j an aeroplane. ln v order, that ;this may be morepr less aecurately simulated; the ties; L, by; which this inot ion is pi'hduced mayjbe.jvvrappediarounda drum,

pulley car'n eccentric or; other rotary member or: members of cjam-contour suitably intefposed'intheirpath;e .Sueha rotaryrmember O in the form of aipulleyfis shown; inil igs; 5 ga'nfd 6'"'and is indicated :in dotted ,lines in Fig. 1. The grooved' 'pulley O is j mounted eecentrically oronia 8191111610110 (jOIlIIIiLleCLin.iL PQClGStZtl O? ca'rriedfby astay WireJ Fast'on the spindleiO is: a iipullcy; O flto which i-sgattached, and around which is Wrapped, a flexible tie L Twli'ose; other end *is secured to! the plun- '55 ger .jThe flexible tiepli extending from thearm IQ is secured to a pointon tllBjPG- ripheryiiof-zth'e e'ccen'tricjO, softhat thedegre- .ofj tilttgiven to the aeroplane is not the. same ifor" every} angular movement of the pulley 0, but dependsuponithe angular position of theipulley at the moment, as will readily be understood-.

. he'i 3a cam. indi li tedflat ploye'd 1114 conlunction j'with telescopic arms, the result is that as the arms J, J revolve,

V "the ea'rgetsiflfieve radially in and out from .lZllB VQ SC-ILEGIT of their rotation so long as the fingersJ engage the-citin 7 What I claim as my invention and desire -to secure'byLettei-s Patent is e 1. In apparatus toruse in practising aimiiig'fthe"conibiii'atidn With a support, of a carrier mounted thereonto rotate invarious mo 1: .v-ii n we planes of, rotation, and amodel target mounted on the 7 carrier IIn'a' paratisrorus in ingfthe it 1 a suppe model target emitter an the earner.

I 11 apparatus for use s 1" i O 111 Preteens e mtie vco'i iilinii ion, "rt, of a "i ou'iitec on to'rotate in planes or rotat on, eans f0 m the a -guitarists fis ii lzeit F et ino l on f 1. r

rotatable carrier n apparatus? prab'tisiiigaini ing, the comb non w ith a or'tgf are rotatable .c arrier,v mou i t rget pivot means for r a A I. the earrler, me

l "7 il in sale et about t s V cameris" rocked on itssup'port;

7. In apparatus for use in practisinlg liim- V 1". ..Y,.1 N; R V a; mg, the QQlIlblllEttlQ ll th a ort,"0fl a carrier 'to'iotate there n, a movable rad ally, on the ;oa r d. way? twi 1 Xi J 9f; for rotat ng the rrl r,";a n'd' P V 1T: un f! dially mov ng the ta get dur g the rotation of the carr er, q i 8. Inapparatus fofr use mp c mg, the o 'ation mlg n 1 1 5 carrierv mount d" to" nistl a lymoy ,s 12 he rb i iqnfli' catfi 1 n a ta're'ti f iii i i ing, the combinationyvvith' a],

otatab e terrie imii i elr' k Q target movalol e rac ally 611th Ward and away; 1 oin'ji ts" 7 means for rotating jneai s ta e i l rob tinei'flie lsarr e ran vt r radially ipvmg the target diiring therotar tion of the carrier. 7

10. In apparatus for use in practising aiming, the combination with a support, of a rotatable carrier mounted to rock thereon, a target pivotally mounted on the carrier and radially movable thereon toward and away from its axis of rotation, means for rotating and means for simultaneously rocking the carrier, means for automatically tilting said target about its pivot when the carrier is rocked on its support, and means for radially moving the target during the rotation of the carrier.

11. In apparatus for use in practising aiming, the combination with a support, of a bracket mounted to rock about an axis thereon, a carrier mounted on said bracket to rotate about an axis at right-angles to the said former axis, toothed-wheel gearing comprising a gear-wheel co-axial with the axis of rotation of the brackets and secured to the bracket for rocking the same, and toothedwheel gearing operatively connected with the carrier and comprising a. gear-wheel coaxial with the axis of rotation of the bracket, for rotating the carrier.

12-. In apparatus for use in practising aiming, the combination with a support, of a rotatable carrier mounted to rock thereon, means for rotating and means for rocking the carrier on its support, a target pivotally mounted on the carrier, an arm on the target for tilting the same about its pivotal axis, a member operatively connected to the support and to the carrier and movable relatively to the latter when the same is rocked, and a tie having one end attached to said arm and its other end attached to said member.

13. In apparatus for use in practising aiming, the combination with a support, of a rotatable carrier having a tubular stem mounted to rock thereon, means for rotating and means for rocking the carrier on its support, a target pivotally mounted on the carrier, an arm on the target for tilting the same about its pivotal axis, a plunger slidable axially in and rotatable with the stem of the'carrier, means pivotally connecting the plunger with a part of the support on the side of the fulcrum of the carrier remote from the latter, and a tie having one end attached to said arm and its other end attached to said plunger.

14. In apparatus for use in practising aiming, the combination with a support, of a rotatable carrier mounted to rock thereon, means for rotating the carrier on its sup port, a cam-ring mounted on the support with its operative face surrounding the axis of rotation of the carrier, said carrier having a radial telescopic arm, a target mounted on the outer telescopic part of the said arm, and a spring-pressed finger carried by the outertelescopic part of the arm and controlled by said cam-ring.

15. In apparatus for use in practising aiming, the combination with a support, of a carrier mounted thereon to rotate in various planes of rotation, a model target mounted on the carrier, and means for tilting the target more relatively to the carrier at some predetermined planes of rotation of the carrier than at others.

- 16. In apparatus for use in practising aiming, the combination with a support, of a rotatable carrier mounted to rock thereon, a target pivotally mounted on the carrier, means for rotating and means for rocking the carrier, and tilting means for automatically tilting said target through a greater angle about its pivot when the carrier is rocked through some parts of its angular travel than through other parts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN ALFRED COOPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

